Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1887-07-14

SSoA HIS son m K
arms and kissed him; he bar 2
his daughter and stroked her %
with mis- hand, and then he
ingiY on his young wife.
She merely said: "How
to see you back herepp 7soa
He entered the large room q
tage, followed by the children W.
dog. 'sfa
"Who's beast have you pot
asked the young woman shsE$
81 brought him back with
France" he replied. 'saq
".
The dog went about the pIaes
gaping mouth and inouisItivs g
He scented everything; the
benches and wall; the large slsal veg
the fagots under the stove. ~ sa''
s~heep-skin, and the linen on u. sa&
He finally stretched bjmsalf y
middle OF the room, put his no,,is
tween his fore-legs and sighed A.
as if to say: I'VE have reaehsd
at last, and | have found ~
country which ! may LOOK ,,nAs
my own" The children Dire. rpoh
play with him. Theyoung wife hsa
him something to eat. Ha vosaz
attentively to the foreign worss
were spoken, as if to catch the;r saaz
ing or discover what wes reon;sas
him; but the task being a fat;Is
when a hand sought to toueb NJ
growled and showed his teeth
He soon got to be looked r,,
a headstrong, wicked brute.
"Never mind" said the yopr, /.
an, "he'n keep the thieves and 49, w.
ers at a distance and o = -.
Watchdog" pc
Volnizki assented to his via.
gestion.
So a chain was put around !.
dogs neck, who was by no mean. :.
prised at the ordeal, for he had ~
used to the thing from puppyhoos
Every evening as 500 as tba -.
came out bright in the sky. the vasa
housewife let the dog looseinthss1a
Thereupon the faithful beast sasss
shake himself, sniff the air with s
parent pleasure, and Commence 4
round of inspection. e
On one occasion, however TIA i.
was missed. But he did not On -
since he came back tine next dav -
was found quietly installed in ~ -
mel, as if he had never left it.
v.
One sabbath afternoon. after :.
pers, an old man entered thu e
ants courtyard. He was Over a
years OF age. His stiff bear;ss
bronzed complexion and ma,iy
aspect at once revealed the mil;tas,
veteran. An open c-ountenaues g.
off to advantage the spare, siFer
locks; two light blue eyes eave4 grass 4
and goodly expression to his faar
while his white moustache grew dow
over his mouth to his chin He sors
boots that reached to bis knees. !
long overcoat in dark blue cloth. / ]
white necktie and a gray hat. In III ]
hand, for show rather than use. hs I
held n stick with shining knob; on "A /
breast shone the cross OF the Lesior !
of Honor strung to al old piece q
faded red ribbon. which stil 5or /
black stains due to the gunposdss ii
Waterloo.
The old soldier was received with
tokens of kindness and reverence; Il
was shown into the large room, which !
that day offered an unusually solemn
aspect with its washed and sanded
floor. Some flowers in an earthert
ware pot on the sindow-siIl diiasea
their sweetness over the place, and
the sun shone ~cheerfully through tie
little sparkling g~lass-panes.
The two men sat down before tbs
large deal table, and when the yoau
woman had brought brandy, bread
and salt, cheese and sausage, they Be
gan to speak about the war. Voinia.
XII recounted the events at Spichen.
Saint-Privat and B~uzenyal, while Ii
old man spoke of Lutzen, Dresda
and Leipsie, Ligny and Quatre Brz
Every time France and the Emperqfs
name were mentioned the old ilaa
raised his hat. Meanwhile the thE
dren played in the yard, and-thst
the holiday should be a general ols
the dog was let loose from his kenua.
Presently the animal Appeared %
the threshold, looked up inanisitlvsy
at the aged man, drew near and sceat
ed him.
what sort ola dog is thatf' inqur
ed the old soldier; 'he is not fron5
these parts"
81 brought him back with ME ron
France" replied Volnizki.
From France?"
Hes abad animal. said the yoa4
| woman.
"And disobedient," said the liak
boy.
81 tried to teach him a few trlcks
added Volnizki, "but all to no pa
pose; he understands nothing, abe
lutely nothing"
The old man laughed.
"Ny friends" said he, "the ressoa
is obvious. The poor brute doesn't
understand your tongue"
"Well, now, that beats everything
exclaimed Volnizkl. s
why, OF course; what contidenx
can he have IN people whose tonga
is foreign to nim?" continued the %
veteran of Napoleon. "How shall Y
obey, when he cannot understand tz
order that is giyen?"
THAT" said Volnizki, "is a thing |
never thought OF. And" he adoe2I
"as | don't know French, there IS 10
help for it,"
"Walt a bit," said the old niaas
as he turned toward the animal
whose eyes were attentlvely ~.
ed on his own. He began %
speak to the dog in good French yer
nacular. "You don't understand 9
word they have to say, do you, ny
friend? On that account they can
you a wicked dog; but youare pray
brute, / know; aud vail be most opeas
ent when spoken to in your own &c
cent Language, won't your"
The dog pricked uphis ears, beat s1s
floor with his tail and his wholeiraals
beat with conscious pleasure at tns
sound of the old man's voice. ouaaes I
~, as if unable to withstand 50 g
rect an appeal, the dog whined, oouna,
ed forward and leaped up to the or
mans neck, barking with all his nllsns'
"See whether Pm not right. e
| claimed the veteran warrior; nhelS
er he understands me or not. IS
The dog went and came boz y.
| place, ran from one room to anoe1s..
with sparkling eyes and quiss1sas
limbs, Xix one who had taken leassg
his senses. He invariably came oasa
to the old man. bai king, jumpins !:
wagging the tail. to lick MS haia, ~ 4:
finally crouched down painting y =
feet, the poor beasts large, red; less,
ish tongue lolling out between tne e.
ner of the mouth snd the fore-teeln.
The two men again resumed tas s
conversation and spoke OF war, ~ =
ties. cavalry attacks or the more 50
age struggle at the point OF the :
ret, 80
At last the old man took his
ure, followed by the dog, who ses.s
to obey him as ii he had never no
another master. -
Tho veteran soldier stood tor 9 ~